Former royal bodyguards spoke Sunday of their shock at “mystifying” new claims that the SAS murdered Diana, Princess of Wales.

On instructions from the highest level, Scotland Yard detectives are examining allegations that the British Army’s elite special forces regiment was involved in the Princess’s death in Paris nearly 16 years ago.

Jamal A. Wilson/AFP/Getty ImagesPrincess Diana in June 1997

The claims came to light during the recent second court martial of Danny Nightingale, the former SAS sniper who was convicted of possessing an illegal firearm.

Ken Wharfe, the Princess’s former Metropolitan Police bodyguard, questioned why it had taken so long for the allegations to be aired.

He said: “The police have to look at it because of the level of the crime alleged. But if this was an allegation of a tinpot burglary a decade earlier, you would be lucky if a traffic warden would have looked at it.”

Former chief superintendent Dai Davies, the Met’s head of royal protection at the time the Princess died, said an inquest and two police inquiries had proved that her death was “an accident by any definition”.

“I’m mystified … how any new information can possibly allege anything other than [that] this was a tragic accident,” he added.

The murder claims were made in a seven-page handwritten letter written by the parents of the estranged wife of “Soldier N”, a former member of the SAS who was a key prosecution witness at Sgt Nightingale’s trial.

Handout/AFP/Getty ImagesPrincess Diana and her boyfriend Dodi Fayed, right, looking towards an unidentified man in a frame grab from a closed circuit video footage taken in Paris shortly before their fatal car crash.

In September 2011 they wrote to the regiment’s commanding officer, raising concerns about their son-in-law’s allegedly erratic and threatening behaviour.

The letter, which was censored before being released to the court martial, states: “He [Soldier N] also told her [the daughter] that it was the XXX who arranged Princess Diana’s death and that has been covered up. So what chance do my daughter and I stand against his threats?”

The woman’s parents also wrote of how Soldier N had told their daughter he could make her “disappear” and described his “killing escapades” while deployed with the SAS, Channel 4 News reported. But Mr Wharfe said the source of the claims of SAS involvement in the Princess’s death raised questions about their truth.

“If these parents were so concerned that this information was relevant or had some general import, then they should have delivered it to the inquest,” he said.

“Why has it taken so long to air this new information? It seems so shallow to me. I just think it’s a bit of a publicity stunt. For what reason I’m not certain, but in the absence of any real evidence, I’m sure this will go away.”

REUTERS/Stringer Prince Charles and Princess Diana stand on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in London, following their wedding at St. Pauls Cathedral, in this June 29, 1981 file photo.

The Princess’s death in a car crash in a Paris underpass on Aug 3 1997, along with her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed, and their driver, Henri Paul, has provoked widespread conspiracy theories.

In particular Mohammed Fayed, Dodi’s father, alleged that the crash had been orchestrated by MI6 at the behest of the Duke of Edinburgh to kill the Princess so she would not marry her Muslim lover and bear his child. Neither the French authorities nor the Met found any evidence to back up his claims.

PIERRE BOUSSEL/AFP/Getty ImagesThe wreckage of Princess Diana's car in the Alma tunnel of Paris in 1997.

Lord Stevens, the former Scotland Yard commissioner, carried out a major investigation, code-named Operation Paget, into how the Princess died.

In December 2006 he published his report, which found that she was not murdered by British spies or the Duke of Edinburgh, nor was she pregnant or engaged to Dodi Fayed.

He concluded, as the French inquiry had done in 1999, that Mr Paul was drunk and driving too fast when he collided with a pillar in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel.

An exhaustive inquest at the Royal Courts of Justice in London concluded in April 2008 with the jury returning a verdict of “unlawful killing” based on the “grossly negligent” driving of both Mr Paul and the paparazzi chasing the Princess.

Military sources last night dismissed the allegations of SAS involvement in the Princess’s death. Colonel Tim Collins, a former SAS officer, said: “It’s utter nonsense. This is just wishful thinking on the part of somebody.”

Another senior officer told The Daily Telegraph that the claims were “a pretty wild idea”, adding: “No idea where it comes from.”

Jeff J Mitchell/REUTERSPrince Charles, right, puts his hand on Prince Harry's, centre, shoulder as Prince William looks on after the coffin of Diana, Princess of Wales, was placed into a hearse Sept. 6, 1997.

Scotland Yard said yesterday that it was still “in the process” of notifying the families of the Princess and Dodi Fayed, and Lord Justice Scott Baker, the coroner in the inquest, about the new allegations.

A spokesman added: “The Metropolitan Police service is scoping information that has recently been received in relation to the deaths and assessing its relevance and credibility.

“The assessment will be carried out by officers from the specialist crime and operations command. This is not a reinvestigation and does not come under Operation Paget.”

Mr Fayed’s spokesman said that he had no comment to make but trusted that Scotland Yard would investigate the claims “with vigour”, adding that he would be “interested in seeing the outcome”.

A spokesman for the Royal family said there would be no comment from the Duke of Cambridge, Prince Harry, or Clarence House.

The Ministry of Defence also declined to comment.

]]>http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/08/18/claims-princess-diana-murdered-by-british-armys-elite-special-forces-a-publicity-stunt-says-former-bodyguard/feed/7stdTO BE USED ONLY IN CONNECTION WITH THE INQUEST INTO THE DEATH OF DIANA, PRINCESS OF WALES, AND DODI AL FAYEDJamal A. Wilson/AFP/Getty ImagesHandout/AFP/Getty ImagesREUTERS/Stringer PIERRE BOUSSEL/AFP/Getty ImagesJeff J Mitchell/REUTERSClaims Princess Diana was murdered by British soldier spark unprecedented Scotland Yard investigationhttp://news.nationalpost.com/2013/08/17/claims-princess-diana-was-murdered-by-british-soldier-spark-unprecedented-scotland-yard-investigation/
http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/08/17/claims-princess-diana-was-murdered-by-british-soldier-spark-unprecedented-scotland-yard-investigation/#commentsSat, 17 Aug 2013 23:36:34 +0000http://news.nationalpost.com/?p=352873

LONDON — Scotland Yard has launched an investigation into new claims that Diana, Princess of Wales, was murdered by a member of the British military.

It said Saturday night that it had asked specialist detectives to examine new allegations and evidence passed to it “recently”.

The claims were given to the force in the last few days by the Royal Military Police, who were told of them by the parents-in-law of a former soldier, sources said.

The dossier is said to include a reference to the SAS and to the Princess’s “secret diary” according to one report. Scotland Yard declined to confirm the content or origin of the material.

Officers from the specialist crime and operations command will carry out the “scoping” exercise to assess if a full-scale investigation is justified into whether the Princess, her boyfriend Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul were murdered.

Saturday night’s disclosure comes in spite of the inquest into the death of the Princess and Mr. Fayed dismissing any claims of murder made by Mohammed Fayed, Dodi’s father, and conspiracy theorists.

Since then murder claims have continued to be made but have never been looked into by British police – making last night’s move unprecedented.

Handout/AFP/Getty ImagesPrincess Diana and her boyfriend Dodi Fayed, right, looking towards an unidentified man in a frame grab from a closed circuit video footage taken in Paris shortly before their fatal car crash.

The decision to examine the new claims suggests that officers believe they cannot be dismissed out of hand but need to be looked at by detectives to assess whether they have any weight.

Scotland Yard emphasised last night that it was not reopening the previous investigation into the deaths, Operation Paget, and highlighted the verdict of the inquest held after that inquiry was completed.

The decision to examine the evidence will have been taken at senior levels. Officers will have to assess whether the information has not been investigated previously and can potentially shed new light on the deaths.

If they conclude that it does, it would open the prospect of a full inquiry, a decision which would be made by Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe in consultation with other figures.

Jamal A. Wilson/AFP/Getty ImagesPrincess Diana in June 1997

The development comes ahead of next week’s 16th anniversary of the Princess’s death as a result of injuries she suffered when the Mercedes in which she was travelling crashed in a tunnel in Paris.

A spokesman said: “The Metropolitan Police Service is scoping information that has recently been received in relation to the deaths and assessing its relevance and credibility. The assessment will be carried out by officers from the specialist crime and operations command. This is not a reinvestigation and does not come under Operation Paget.

“The deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales, and Dodi Fayed were thoroughly investigated, and examined by an inquest led by Lord Justice Scott Baker at the Royal Court of Justice in 2007 to 2008.

“On April 7, 2008, the jury concluded their verdict as ’unlawful killing, grossly negligent driving of the following vehicles and of the Mercedes’.”

Detectives are understood to have contacted the former soldier’s estranged wife.

A royal spokesman said there will be no comment from the Duke of Cambridge, Prince Harry or Clarence House.

Mr. Fayed was said to be watching developments “with interest”.

The jury at the inquest returned a majority verdict in April 2008, which indicated that paparazzi photographers who pursued the Princess were to blame for her “unlawful killing.” Mr. Paul was also culpable for her death due to his “gross negligence” in driving while three times over the drink-drive limit, the jury found.

An earlier French police investigation cleared the photographers of being directly linked to the tragedy.

A massive crowd will witness the royal nuptials in around three weeks in London, but some will choose to watch from locations around the world via television broadcast.

“Prime Minister David Cameron’s spokesman said a figure of two billion people was provided by Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt during a briefing at a cabinet meeting where he also said preparations for the April 29th nuptials were going well,” reports Reuters.

Top put it in perspective — this means more than a quarter of the world’s population will be watching the wedding through the small screen on April 29.

An estimated 750 million people watched Prince Charles marry Princess Diana in 1981, and about 2.5 billion watched Diana’s funeral in 1997.

]]>http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/04/07/an-estimated-two-billion-people-expected-to-watch-royal-wedding-on-tv/feed/2stdBritain's Prince William and Kate Middleton pose in one of two official engagement portraits.Post Primer: Kate Middleton’s royal wedding headgearhttp://news.nationalpost.com/2011/03/18/post-primer-kate-middletons-tiara/
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/03/18/post-primer-kate-middletons-tiara/#commentsFri, 18 Mar 2011 18:39:08 +0000http://news.nationalpost.com/?p=52854

Speculation has been ramping up about The Dress for April 29’s royal wedding. But we have our mind on higher things: What about Kate Middleton’s sparkly tiara? And her hair? So many questions! We do our best to answer them. Below, all you need to know about royal wedding headgear.

A tiara? Seriously? In the twenty-first century?

Chances are Ms. Middleton will not forgo a tiara altogether: historically, all royal brides have worn tiaras on their wedding days.

handout Lady Diana, Princess of Wales during her wedding to Prince Charles at St Paul Cathedral in London 29 July 1981

Well, at least Kate can use her tiara as the “something old” portion of her wedding outfit.

Not necessarily. True, if the queen offers Kate Middleton a tiara from the royal vault to wear during her nuptials it will signify true acceptance into the royal fold, and the traditions associated with it. But the queen’s own sister was not given an heirloom headpiece to wear when she took her vows: “Princess Margaret, did not have a royal diadem for her wedding,” reports the Express. (Note: diadem is a fancy way to refer to royal tiaras). “The Poltimore tiara she wore was bought by the queen on advice from court officials and was sold after Margaret’s death.”

AFP / filesPicture dated 06 May 1960, shows Princess Margaret, the younger sister of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II waving from Buckingham Palace in London on her wedding day

Reuters / Christies / HandoutPrincess Margaret's tiara is displayed in this handout image released by Christie's June 12, 2006.

What sparkly headgear was donned by other royal brides?

The Queen has traditionally given royal brides a tiara for a wedding present. The tiara isn’t necessarily the same one worn on their big day. For example, Lady Diana Spencer wore the Spencer family tiara (below), which now belongs to her brother.

Retuers / Stringer / FilesPrince Charles kisses his new bride Diana on their wedding day in London in a July 29, 1981 file photo.

The Queen gave Sarah Ferguson a new tiara when she married Prince Andrew. Sophie Rhys-Jones also received a new tiara for her marriage to Prince Edward, although it was one made of elements allegedly recycled from one of Queen Victoria’s diadems.

Princess Diana didn’t wear the Cambridge Lover’s Knot diamond and pearl tiara given to her by the queen on her wedding day, but on later occasions. The silver, diamond and pearl tiara originally belonged to Queen Mary and was created by Gerrards in 1914 (the same designer of Kate’s ring, formerly Diana’s).

Many believe this tiara is a possibility for Kate if she is offered an heirloom tiara. It would further her connection to Diana, as Kate is already wearing Diana’s engagement ring.

There’s another catch, though — the tiara was returned to the Queen upon Diana’s death, but Camilla Parker-Bowles, Duchess of Cornwall, is now is entitled to wear the head piece when she chooses.

If the queen does offer up a tiara, what are her options?

The queen has many many tiaras stashed in the royal vault, but by process of deduction, based on aesthetics, the meaning behind each tiara, and Kate’s personal style, royal watchers have been able to separate the contenders from the pack.

Jonathan Drake / ReutersQueen Elizabeth delivers a speech during a state banquet at the Istana, the presidential palace, in Singapore March 17, 2006; she is wearing the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara.

“Princess Elizabeth (currently the Queen) on her wedding day wore the Fringe tiara originally made for her grandmother Queen Mary in 1919 – thus fulfilling the “something borrowed” bridal tradition,” says BBC. “The tiara, which can also be worn as a necklace, re-uses diamonds taken from a necklace/tiara purchased by Queen Victoria from Collingwood and Co. as a wedding present for the future Queen Mary in 1893.” If the Queen lets Kate wear this, it will be a sign of serious confidence in the new royal.

The Strathmore Rose diamond tiara was made around 1900 by Catchpole & Williams. Allegedly, The Earl if Strathmore gave it to his daughter (Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, aka the Queen Mother) in 1923. The tiara is feminine and beautiful; there are five large diamond roses separated by diamond sprays. Additionally the diamond roses can be fashioned into brooches.

The Queen Mother’s Scroll Tiara is one the queen is rumoured to have worn on a number of occasions after she was married, but before she became queen. It has been lent by Elizabeth II to both Princess Margaret and Princess Annet.

The Queen Alexandra Russian Kokoshnik Tiara is said to be a favourite of the Queen’s. It belonged to Queen Alexandra (the wife of King Edward VII). The design was supposedly influenced by a Russian tiara of her sister’s (Empress Marie of Russia) and she commissioned Gerrard’s to make it. Rumour says it’s composed of sixty-one platinum bars and filled with 488 diamonds.

The Duchess of Teck Rose and Crescent Tiara has not been seen since the 1940’s. It was passed to Queen Mary by her mother: Princess Adelaide of Cambridge, Duchess of Teck. But royal watchers say it could be an option.

The County of Surrey Tiara hasn’t been seen by the public for a century, not since Queen Mary was the Princess Of Wales, so it will be a surprising and refreshing choice if Kate walks down the isle in it. “Stylistically it falls between the sweetness of Girls of Great Britain and Ireland and the spiked severity of the Fringe,” says a royal watcher. “The tiara was a gift to Queen Mary from the people of the County of Surrey upon the occasion of her marriage in 1893.”

Who’s made an educated guess?

The Huffington Post published a piece in February suggesting Ms. Middleton will wear an heirloom tiara on her wedding day, but, again, this is all speculation:

“Royal insiders told me that shortly after the engagement announcement on November 16, Catherine was invited to Buckingham Palace where the Queen had instructed that every tiara, along with other dazzling jewels from the royal vaults, be laid out for inspection in a ballroom. This was when Catherine chose the tiara she will wear on her wedding day.”

The Express writes that whether Ms. Middleton wears a tiara on the big day or not, she will need one in the future:

“As a future member of the Royal Family, Kate Middleton needs a tiara, not just for her wedding, but for state banquets like the one being organised for the Obamas’ visit in late May and for such important events as the State Opening of Parliament.”

According to Royal magazine, below is a purportedly complete list of the Windsor tiaras Kate could choose from the royal collection. (Some of them haven’t been seen in a very long time). Each is steeped in history and meaning, so we can deduce that some would be more probable for Ms. Middleton to dawn on her wedding day than others.

What about a veil?

Ian Mcilgorm / AFP / Getty ImagesAutumn Kelly 31 looks over her shoulder as she enter St George's Chapel in Windsor on May 17, 2008 to be wed to Peter Phillips 30; the son bride of the son of Princess Anne. As is traditional, she wears the veil covering her face because she is marrying into the royal family.

Throughout history all royal brides have worn a veil, but those marrying into the royal family traditionally cover their face; those already in the royal family leave their face exposed: “Diana, Sarah Ferguson and Sophie, all brides who married into the royal family, just like Kate is about to, walked down the aisle with their veils concealing their faces,” says ABC. “It wasn’t until later in the ceremony, in Diana’s case after the vows, that their faces were revealed. But throughout history, no princess by birth has covered her face with a bridal veil.”

Hair up? Hair down?

The royal family may be slowly modernizing, but don’t get your hopes up for flowing locks — Richard Ward, Kate Middleton’s hair stylist, is expected to create a traditional up-do.

However, another British hairdresser, James Brown, has an entirely different vision for Kate, reports the Telegraph: “She will wear it up because of all the pressure she is under to do what she is expected to do,” he said, “but she would look better with it down.” He later said: “She has gorgeous hair and I just hope she brings her own personality to it.”

National Post

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]]>http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/03/18/post-primer-kate-middletons-tiara/feed/3std0224kate4DIANA-CHARLES-WEDDINGBRITAIN-ROYAL-BIO MARGARETHandout image of Princess Margaret's tiaraFile photo of Prince Charles kissing his new bride Diana on their wedding day in LondonQueen Elizabeth delivers speech during state banquet at the Istana in Singapore-Royal round up: The royal sweet tooth editionhttp://news.nationalpost.com/2011/03/01/royal-round-up-the-royal-sweet-tooth-edition/
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/03/01/royal-round-up-the-royal-sweet-tooth-edition/#commentsTue, 01 Mar 2011 20:45:39 +0000http://news.nationalpost.com/?p=49862

You’ve got the commemorative royal wedding china. But what to put on those plates ? Below, some ideas (and going by the tastes of the royals, you may want extra dessert plates.)

Fruitcake

Dreaded by many North Americans, the Yuletide confection is an English wedding tradition, with Brits often saving the top portion of the wedding cake to be served at the christening of the couples’ first-born child. British wedding designer Sarah Haywood told People about the latest wedding cake trend, which Prince William and Kate Middleton are likely to follow: “Each tier [of the cake] will be different,” says Ms. Haywood, “and we usually put the fruitcake at the top.”

Sticky toffee pudding

This less-baffling-to-colonials dessert is said to be a favourite of Kate Middleton, especially the version at the Old Boot Inn in Stanford Dingley, a village in Berkshire, England.

Roast figs on parma ham

“Her favorite [dishes] are the pate on toasted brioche or the roast figs on parma ham with spicy apple chutney, followed by the tiger prawn and wild mushroom linguine, the Old Boot’s chef, Rody Warot,told People.“And for the [dessert], her favorite is sticky toffee pudding. It’s moist and spongy.”

Haribo sweets

Both the Prince and Ms. Middleton are fond of the gummy candies, Chan Shingadia, who runs the Peaches Spar store in Bucklebury with her husband, told the Mail.

Earlier in the month Princess Diana’s former chef Darren McGrady told Peoplethat both Prince William and Harry loved banana flan as children.

]]>http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/03/01/royal-round-up-the-royal-sweet-tooth-edition/feed/1stdA commemorative plate is seen in this undated photograph received in London on December 20, 2010. The Royal Collection has announced the launch of a range of china commissioned to commemorate the forthcoming wedding of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton.Mexican teen on hunger strike for royal wedding invitationhttp://news.nationalpost.com/2011/02/21/mexican-teen-on-hunger-strike-for-royal-wedding-invitation/
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/02/21/mexican-teen-on-hunger-strike-for-royal-wedding-invitation/#commentsMon, 21 Feb 2011 18:52:35 +0000http://news.nationalpost.com/?p=48321

As the 1,900 royal wedding invitations arrive on the doorsteps of Prince William and Kate Middleton‘s friends and family, one teen in Mexico is enraged she hasn’t yet been offered one of the gold-embossed letters, Reuters reports.

Nineteen-year-old Estibalis Chavez has refused to eat for over a week and is camped-out in a blue tent in front of the British embassy. Ms. Chavez posted a flyer on the embassy building asking: “Are they going to let me die just because they wouldn’t give me an invitation to the royal wedding?” Another flyer — posted next to a picture of the smiling royal couple — reads: “This is my only dream.”

Ms. Chavez’s obsession with the royal family extends from a childhood love of Princess Diana, she told reporters Thursday, saying Diana was “one of the most interesting women in history.”

“My mother was a big fan of Lady Di too and she died when I was born, so I promised myself I would attend her son’s wedding,” said Ms. Chavez.

If Chavez was a true royal fan she would be lobbying for three invitations, not one. While one invitation will get the teen into the Abbey, she will need another for the Queen’s reception, and yet another for Prince Charles’ fete.

“The embassy could talk to Britain for me but they haven’t,” she said. “But I’m going to stay here until I can’t go on,” she vowed.

Normally it would be an honor to be compared to Princess Diana, but the royals are taking care to see that Kate Middleton feels more prepared for royal life than she did when thrust into the spot-light.

The family has assigned Ms. Middleton a mentor and adviser who will coach her in dealing with upcoming royal obligations. He will play the same role as General Sir Frederick Browning, who advised Princess Elizabeth in the 1940’s, someone who she could truly rely on to steer her in the right direction.

Attesting to his skill, at the request of the Queen Sir Manning accompanied Prince William last year on his first royal obligations abroad, when he traveled to New Zealand and Australia representing the monarchy.

“Sir David is a senior adviser to Prince William and Prince Harry and so naturally would become a senior adviser to Kate as well, to provide her with advice and mentoring where needed. He is a key member of the household and offers his thoughts on a whole range of subjects, as you’d imagine someone of his experience and seniority would. His career speaks for itself and he advises on things that his experience covers – obviously that includes foreign affairs.”

Sir Manning is expected to accompany the new couple on their first foreign tour after they marry.

A respected and experienced diplomat, Sir Manning has served in the foreign embassies in Israel, Poland, India, Paris and Moscow.

The April 29th royal wedding is set to take a page from sports bars and stadiums everywhere, with up to 12 plasma screens installed inside the 900 year-old Westminster Abbey venue, reports the Mirror.

The decision may enable guests to get a good look at Prince William exchanging wedding vows with Kate Middleton, however, will the modern screens take away from the ageless aura of the Abbey?

Founded in 960 by Benedictine monks, the Abbey is home to the remains of 17 British kings and has hosted 15 royal weddings, including that of the Queen when she wed Prince Philip of Greece in 1947.

Reuters / Michael Dunlea / PoolBritain's Prince William smiles as he walks with his girlfriend Kate Middleton at RAF Cranwell, central England on April 11, 2008

The layout of the building is such that only people sitting right at the front will clearly see the wedding vows; those sitting further back will watch via the plasma screens — meaning they’re seeing the same scene as people at home watching it on TV.

REUTERS/Dan Kitwood/Pool

“The Abbey is huge, but ­basically cut in half by the choir,” said a source to the Mirror. “So your view will be ­significantly obstructed if you are sitting anywhere other than right under the couple’s noses.”

The Mirror also reports that there will be a larger television audience watching than when Prince Charles wed Princess Diana.

Below, a list of other famous couples who married at the Abbey, without the aid of televisions:

]]>http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/01/18/westminster-abbey-to-get-plasma-screens-for-royal-wedding/feed/1stdWestminster Abbey (L) is pictured in cenBritain's Prince William smiles as he walks with his girlfriend Kate Middleton at RAF Cranwell, central England on April 11, 2008Britain's Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip arrive for the ninth Inauguration of the General Synod at Westminster Abbey, in central London